NITRO RECEIVER RIPS MONARCH SECONDARY CHRIS MARTIN'S 305 YARDS SETS NEW STATE RECORD IN WILDCAT WIN

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 10/18/1997
Page: P1B
Headline: NITRO RECEIVER RIPS MONARCH SECONDARY CHRIS MARTIN'S 305 YARDS SETS NEW STATE RECORD IN WILDCAT WIN
Byline: TOM ALUISE

DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER

There's never been any question. Nitro High School has the state's top
passing quarterback in junior J.R. House.

Now, perhaps, the Wildcats can claim West Virginia's top prep
receiver.

Nitro junior wideout Chris Martin isn't very big. But the 5-foot-9,
165-pounder's performance Friday in the Wildcats' 35-13 victory over
visiting John Marshall was monumental.

"Martin is one heck of a player,' a shellshocked JM Coach Mike Linsky
said. "We didn't have anyone who could run with him.'

What Martin accomplished against the defending Class AAA state
champions will go down in the books as, well, a state record.

The damage: 14 receptions, 305 yards, four touchdown catches.

Martin's 305 yards broke the state record for single-game receiving
yardage. Tom Pasinetti of Wellsburg High set the previous mark of 294
yards against Bellaire, Ohio, in 1968.

"Chris is a special player,' Nitro Coach Robert "Little' Burdette
said. "He just did something no one else has ever done.'

"It really hasn't sunk in yet,' Martin said. "I'm just happy we
won.'

The victory improved the sixth-ranked Wildcats to 6-1, while JM fell
to 3-4 and probably out of playoff contention.

Nitro visits 7-1 DuPont next week.

House, last year's Kennedy Award winner, completed 25-of-43 passes for
383 yards and four scores against the Monarchs. His first completion
of the night was an 80-yard TD strike to Martin on the game's first
play.

Nitro, in fact, had a 21-0 lead before JM had run five plays. The
Monarchs fumbled away the football on their first two possessions and
finished the night with seven fumbles, four lost.

The Wildcats extended their lead to 28-0 on Martin's 20-yard TD catch
with 9:32 remaining before the half.

At the intermission, Martin had 10 catches for 234 yards and three
scores.

Martin added his fourth TD catch, a 19-yarder, with 9:16 left in the
third quarter. Tailback Zack Collins scored Nitro's other TD on a
9-yard run in the first quarter.

Martin and House overshadowed a 305-yard passing night by JM
quarterback Josh Rine.

Martin's night was especially sweet because his efforts came against
JM's Chris Butler, considered one of the state's top defensive backs.

Butler had 11 interceptions last year and shut down North Marion's
highly touted receiver, Todd Anderson, in a game earlier this season.

Martin ran past Butler most of Friday evening, earning all four of his
TDs with the frustrated Butler in pursuit. Butler tried to play Martin
man-to-man much of the evening but couldn't keep up with Martin's
precise routes nor his 4.5 speed.

"We feel like they just faced the best receiver in the state,'
Burdette said.

House wasn't bad either, despite an off-and-on rain.

In three games since returning from Florida, House has connected on
73-of-117 passes for 1,062 yards and 13 TDs. He received solid
protection from his line and backs last night.

Martin has 35 receptions for 774 yards and nine scores.

"He's the best route runner I've ever seen,' House said. "He's easy
to see because he gets open so easily.

"They came up and tried to play him man-to-man. I don't think anybody
can play us man-to-man anymore. We've gotten so much better running
our routes.

"He (Butler) supposedly shut down that Anderson kid who's supposed to
be the best receiver in the state. But Chris is the best in the state.
I think he proved that tonight.'

If Martin isn't the best receiver, he certainly is in the running for
best catch of the year.

In the second quarter, on a first-and-13 from the Nitro 1, House
uncorked a 50-yarder that Martin turned into one of the best catches
in Nitro history.

Running full speed, Martin laid out horizontally, reached out with one
hand and pulled in the football.

It was a remarkable grab, as good a catch as you'll see on Saturday or
Sunday afternoon, in any league.

"That catch he made is just like something you'd see on television,'
Burdette said. "That's the kind of thing that a kid is never going to
forget.'

Martin broke the receiving yards record late in the fourth quarter on
a 11-yard pass from House.

He was rewarded with the game ball.

"It's somewhere, I don't know where,' Martin said. "I think they're
going to put it in the trophy case.'